Cannot keep inverts alive...

[Markster]

I have a 75 gal reef that has been setup for over 5 years. I was able to keep cleaner or coral banded shrimp for months with ease. About a year ago, both of these died. I tried to replace them and the next day any new specimen I tried would end belly up. I have not tried a shrimp for sometime now. I picked up a cool purple lobster yesterday at Aquarium Designs and today it was dead.

Granted I do not test the water as the fish and corals look great and very healthy. I do a five gal water change every Sunday. I run a 30 gal sump with UV sterializer, CO2 reactor and skimmer.

Any ideas on what is going on?

[jc]

How are you acclimating them?

[dustint21]

TEST YOUR WATER!!!!

[tropicana]

I bet your Nitrates or Phosphates are high. Thats the highest likely reason your inverts die besides foul acclimation procedures.

[p00num3lli]

I bet your Nitrates or Phosphates are high. Thats the highest likely reason your inverts die besides foul acclimation procedures.

yes, nitrates are the killer in the invert world.

[ErikH]

5 gallons on a 75 weekly is probably not enough. I typically do at least 15 per week on my 75. They will not tolerate any nitrates.

[Markster]

I checked the NO3 and it was in the low range. I checked the spec gravity and it was 1.025. The pH is 8.2 and alk 2.5. I am going to do another water change tonight and go to 10 gallons on a weekly basis instead of 5. I also emailed Saltwaterfish.com and they were more concerned about pH and spec gravity and did not even mention nitrate.

[ErikH]

alk 2.5??????

your ph is low...... What salt are you using? Are you using RO/DI? How much sand do you have? Live rock? Skimmer? Lighting???
:)

[hobogato]

im sure he meant 2.5 meq/L (not dKh) which is fine.

as far as the pH, it depends on when he measured it, if it was morning, that is fine.

i am wondering if there is possible copper contamination..... meds, any metal anywhere in the tank, etc.


alk 2.5??????

your ph is low...... What salt are you using? Are you using RO/DI? How much sand do you have? Live rock? Skimmer? Lighting???
:)

[klondike4001]

dang ace, I was about to say copper....

[Markster]

No metal in the tank or near it that could interfere. I have copper in the utility room cabinet for a hospital tank but have not used/opened it in over a year. Measured the pH last night so was not in the morning.

75 gal RR oceanic, 30 gal sump with refug (need to restock the macro), two 175w 14K MH, two 65 W PC actinic, and two 65W PC 10k. Use Red Sea salt (white bucket with orange lid), Remora skimmer, Knoblin CO2 reactor, UV sterializer 15w bulb, 65 lbs live rock, two inch fine sand, use a RO/DI for top off and water changes, feed daily with frozen food mix, use algae sheets for the herbivore fish (one 4" orange shoulder tang, one 3" sebae clown, one 2 1/2" coral beauty, one 3" foxface and just added a 2" clown fairy wrasse. Mostly soft corals with a very large frogspawn and red bubble tip for the clown.

[klondike4001]

any chance aluminum foil has come into contact w/ the tank?

[Markster]

negative - only use that on the toaster oven.

[don-n-sa]

I had over 100ppm nitrates and kept many inverts alive for over 4 yrs. Including cleaner shrimp.

[CoryDude]

Agree w/Don. I've had high nitrates and no problems w/any inverts. I'd bet the culprit is some kind of contaminate.

I had powerhead burn up in my tank. It killed every snail, hermit crab, clam, and every other invert in the tank. Fish and corals were ok. The problem persisted for weeks, until I did a major h2o change and ran carbon continuously.